To Be A Fire Princess
by alyssialui
Summary: It meant many things to be a princess of the Fire Nation - manners, lessons, sparring, fire, destruction, chaos. Weren't those the things girls and young women dreamed of? A few drabbles following GB!Iroh and GB!Ozai. Will feature other characters.
1. Destruction

_A/N: Irah contemplates the destruction her army has wrought on an Earth Kingdom village._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **Destruction_

* * *

><p>Irah stood the helm of the ship, her eyes focused on the dark clouds which rose over the land as she and her army began their return to the Fire. So much destruction, so much blood. Was all this really worth it in the end? Was the lost of innocent women and children worth the acquisition of just a few more acres of land?<p>

"Mother," a voice said from behind her. She turned, her eyes still lingering on the black plumes in place of what once stood the village chapel and looked upon her son.

"Lu Ten," she said, "Anything to report?"

The young man rose from his bowed position and stood straight. A man, a soldier, one condemned to a life of murder in the name of country and pride. "The village has been searched. The refuges are being sent to the mines."

Irah nodded before turning away. Those who did not die, by Fire Nation hands or by fire, were sent to live out their days working for the good of the nation, mining the iron out of mountains to be used in the manufacture of ships and war balloons. They would aid in dooming others to such a life, or death if that were the case. "You may return to your quarters," she said.

There was a slight pause before Lu Ten walked to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's for the Fire Nation," he said, as he had been thought in the academy.

As she heard his footsteps leave her, a lone tear ran down her face. All those screams, broken families, slaughtered animals.

_"It's for the Fire Nation"_


	2. Sneaky

_A/N: A sparring match between sisters._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **Sneaky_

* * *

><p>Irah held her stance before her younger sister, her arms in front and her feet wide, as she block another jet of flame. All her senses were heightened: the flames were brighter, the burns hotter, the smell of smoke stinging her nose and all the while, feeling the critical gaze of her father standing at the edge of the courtyard.<p>

They did this often, sister against sister, as entertainment to their father and to showcase their new skills and talents. Ozara revelled in the chance to prove herself worthy, to surpass her sister's ability and shine in her father's eyes. Irah simply did as she was told, already confident in her abilities.

"Don't hold back!" her father yelled, as she blocked another sweeping kick.

Irah tumbled backwards to get away from her sister as she brought a flaming foot down where her head used to be. Her father always seemed to know when she wasn't giving it her all, when she didn't want to harm her sister.

"Yes! Fight me like you mean it!" Ozara said before thrusting her open palms out of her and unleashing a constant stream of heat. Ozara knew as well and she had always wanted to be seen as worthy of a match, to be treated as a formidable opponent.

Irah held her arms before her, bending the flames away from her face. She hated these sparring matches against Ozara, having to constantly prove that she was better, that she was ruthless and able to strike even those she loved without a second thought.

But she knew there was no leaving the courtyard until one was downed. Irah took a deep breath. She would end this.

Between the jet of flames, she channelled her chi, feeling it travelling from her chest, down to her feet and to her fingers. She pushed Ozara back before directing a sudden bolt of lightning to falling girl. Her body twitched, spasms running through her limbs, before she hit the stone.

Their father walked up to them and placed a hand on her shoulder, the most touching sign of affection he ever showed them. He was proud that she had been sneaky, that she had shocked her sister when she was unaware.

Ozara slowly came to, watching as their father led Irah away from her fallen body without a second glance.


	3. You'd like that

_A/N: Irah helps her proud sister._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **"You'd like that"_

* * *

><p>Irah walked across the hallway to her sister's room. They were supposed to be in the dining hall in the next five minutes and Ozara had yet to make an appearance all day. Irah was getting worried now. Normally she could hear the young girl screaming at her handmaids but there were no sounds today. Was she hurt? Was she doing alright on her own?<p>

She knocked on the door and asked, "Ozara, are you having a problem getting ready?"

"No!" the girl said from the other side of the room. Harried footsteps were heard coming from the room before Irah felt her pushing back against the door. "Go away. I can do this!"

"Are you sure? Do you need Mila to help you?" Irah asked.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you!" the young girl screamed back, her voice slightly muffled by the wood separating them. "You'd like for me to show up late and need someone else's help to get ready."

Irah stepped back, staring at the door in shock. "What are you talking about?" she asked, "I was just wondering if you needed my help. Father and Mother must be worried."

"I don't need your help," the young girl shouted. "Just leave!"

Irah frowned before pushing open the door to reveal a fuming Ozara who had moved away from the door, her face red and her chest heaving. Her dress was falling off her shoulders, the sash around the waist pooled around her feet. Her hair was undone, matted as it stuck to her sweating forehead.

"I told you to go!" the girl screamed, reaching for the other chair by her mirror. Her sister was always too proud to accept any help.

Irah held her hands up in surrender. "Fine, I'm sorry I even bothered. You have five minutes."

She made to leave the room, her hand on the doorknob before she heard the young girl say, "Wait."

Irah turned. The young woman's shoulders slumped and she cast her head down in defeat. "My sash," she said, pointing at the discarded fabric.

Irah said nothing as she walked up to her sister and picked up the sash, directing the younger girl to turn around. Her hands moved as they tied the intricate knot at the small of her sister's back before she picked up the brush on the dresser, running it through the younger girl's hair. She would help her sister whenever possible because in the end, that's what sisters were for.


	4. It was right here!

_A/N: Ozara wants to make her father notice her._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **"It was right here!"_

* * *

><p>"It was right here!" Ozara said looking about the empty courtyard. She had finally done something extraordinary, something she was sure not even Irah could do but after she had run to bring her father to see, the thing just magically disappeared.<p>

"You brought me outside to show me air?" Azulon asked, trying to keep his voice level. It would not bode well to release his anger on his younger daughter now. He was to be in a meeting in a few minutes and did not want to start it angry.

"No, Father," Ozara said, "There was-"

"No, you can't have," Azulon said, "because you are smarter than this to waste my time with trivial things. You should be practicing your forms." He then walked back to the small walkway before stepping back inside the palace.

Ozara stood there, watching the closed door for a few moments more. No matter what she did, it would never be enough.

When Fire Lord Azulon had been blessed with two daughters and no sons, instead of being bitter, he worked with what the gods had given him, training his daughters as if they were males, ensuring they had both military and political knowledge and were ready to take the throne when the time came.

But it was apparent to all that Azulon favoured his first-born, Irah. Irah was a skilled bender, very intelligent and a great strategist. She was already allowed to join his meetings in the war-room at the young age of twelve, and he listened to her counsel along with his other advisors. Ozara couldn't even speak out of turn at the dinner table until she proved herself.

Ozara walked quietly back inside. She would show her father that she was worthy to be heard, she was someone to take notice of.


	5. Don't do that!

_A/N: Ozara climbs the tallest tree behind the palace._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **"Don't do that!"_

* * *

><p>"Please, Ozara, get down from there. Don't do that. It's not proper for a princess to be climbing trees," Irah pleaded as Ozara began to climb higher and higher in the cherry blossom tree at the back of the palace.<p>

"Stop worrying, Irah," Ozara called back, her voice fading away as she moved higher. "Nothing is going to happen to me."

Irah looked around her wondering what she should do now. Surprisingly, there were no guards patrolling this section of the grounds she could alert to aid her. She could go and run for one but what if something happened to sister while she was gone?

"Ozara!" she called up again. "Get down or I'm calling Father."

Ozara paused, her limbs stiffen before she looked down back at her sister on the ground. "You always were a stickler for the rules, Irah," she said. "Always running to Mother and Father when things look too scary. Well, I'm not afraid, of anything." Ozara turned her head back up to the top of the tree and continued climbing.

Irah bit her lip before she lifted the hem of her dress. It looked like she would have to go up and get Ozara herself.

She reached her hands upwards, about to draw herself by her hands to the first level of branches, when the tree began to shake. She looked up to see Ozara hanging from a thin limb, her grip slipping.

Now this was bad. Irah stepped away and ran beneath the struggling girl. "Let go," she cried, "I'll catch you."

"No! I don't need you to catch me. I-" Ozara began before she fell, her hands no longer able to support her. She landed in a heap at Irah's feet, her arm bent awkwardly under her body as she wailed.

"Don't just stand there!" she said through her pained gasps. "Do something!"

Irah sighed before gingerly picking her sister off the ground. All this could have been avoided if Ozara had just listened to her.


	6. True Colours

_A/N: Irah has a talk with her nephew, Zuko. _

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **True Colours by Cyndi Lauper_

* * *

><p>Irah pushed open the door to her nephew's bedroom. She had only returned to the palace for a few months but she could tell a lot had changed since she had last been here.<p>

Urkam was missing. 'No longer an issue,' Ozara said when she inquired of her brother-in-law's whereabouts. Irah had a horrible feeling in her gut regarding the missing man with the kind heart. She was not a fool to think her sister's marriage was a happy one, but there was something that Irah had not been around to witness or prevent.

Unfortunately, Urkam's absence caused a change in his children. Azula, who was always a mischievous and violent girl, had gotten worse it seemed under her mother's tutelage and without her father's guidance. She was quicker to react, faster to hurt and sharper in her retorts, showing little respect for her once beloved aunt or anyone who was not her mother.

But Zuko seemed to suffer the most. There was a strong bond between father and son, Zuko inheriting his father's docile nature instead of Ozara's fiery one. Zuko preferred quiet mornings to violent sparring, making himself a disappointment in Ozara's eyes. With his father, Zuko was protected and loved, but now, Irah saw that Zuko had tried hard to gain his mother's approval and failed every time.

"Zuko," Irah said as she entered the room.

The boy turned, tucking something into his pocket while swiping furiously at his eyes. "Auntie," he said. "Is something the matter?"

"No, I just came to talk to you," she said, looking up and down the corridor before closing the door behind her. She never knew who may overhear them.

She walked towards the bed and sat beside her nephew, pulling him to her side. He was trying to be brave, to pretend that his eyes weren't red and his chest wasn't still heaving.

"You don't have to pretend around me, Zuko," she said, taking her hand and wiping away the tears which remained in the corner of his eyes. "I can see you, the real you, your true colours."

Zuko scowled, pulling away from her slightly and said, "No. I'm not supposed to be like this. I'm supposed to be strong and uncaring, able to move on. Just like Azula, just like Mother, I-"

"It's okay to feel this way," Irah said, interruptin the young teen. "It's okay to miss him."

"I don't miss him," Zuko said. "Why would I miss someone who was weak and betrayed our country and ran away from our family!"

Irah frowned and said, "You and I both know that's a lie. You know your father would never do that."

Zuko took a deep breath and Irah realized he too was still trying to get through the mystery of his father's disappearance, but hearing the lies his mother was feeding him and his sister probably wasn't helping.

After a pause, Zuko said, "Mother always said Father was weak. I don't want to be weak."

"Missing someone doesn't make you weak," Irah said, reaching out her arms to pull her nephew back into her embrace. "Missing them gives you strength to fight in their honour."

There was another pause. The sniffling had returned and Irah just held her nephew close, offering all the love she could give, though she knew she could never replace his father.

"Do you think he's out there?" Zuko asked.

"I have faith that he is out there and you will be reunited one day," Irah said. She was sure Ozara had not killed the man. If she had, she would have been a lot most boastful about it. However, how true the statement was, she was not sure, but Zuko needed a bit of hope right now.


	7. Smell

_A/N: Irah wakes up to the smell of smoke coming from Ozara's room._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **smell_

* * *

><p>Irah inhaled deeply as she sat up in bed, stretching her arms over her head. There was something strange in the air something on-<p>

"Fire!" she screamed, jumping out of bed, almost slipping on the rug at the side of her bed as she ran out of the room.

The smell of smoke and heat filled the air, the dark clouds getting caught in the ceiling. Guards and handmaids ran past her, their faces white and their eyes wide. Irah reached out, grabbing the elbow of one of the handmaids before she turned the corner with the others. It was Mila, Ozara's personal handmaid. "What's going on? Where's the fire?" Irah asked.

"Ozara," Mila said, her eyes darting down the hall. Irah looked as well, noticing for herself that the smoke was indeed pouring out of the young woman's room. Irah nodded before running towards her sister, allowing Mila to follow another group of frightened workers in the opposite direction.

She stood in the doorway to see the entire room on fire. The girl's bed, dresser, chair and desk, were all engulfed in flames, the remaining bits of wood charred black. In the centre, Ozara was standing, her night clothes slightly burnt and her hair plastered to her head with sweat. She was still creating flames, aiming her hands now towards the windows and turning the curtains to ashes.

"Ozara, stop!" Irah said, holding her sleeve over her nose, the smell stronger now that she was closer to its source.

Ozara's arms fell before she turned towards her sister. "Good morning, Irah," she said.

"Why are you doing this?" Irah asked, stepping forward.

"I thought my bedroom needed a change, and Father won't do anything unless it is completely necessary," she said. "Well, now I need a new bed and furniture, and I got to practice my fire-bending, so I call this a win-win."

"Ozara, someone could have gotten hurt, you could have gotten burnt, the whole palace is in a frenzy, this is-" Irah tried to reason.

Ozara leaned back and away from her sister. "They're all over-reacting," she interrupted, "I have this under control."

Irah coughed, falling to her hands and knees. How did Ozara stand staying in here for so long? Where were the guards to stop all this? Where was Mother and Father?

"Put out the flames now!" Irah said, her throat and nose stinging from the harsh fumes.

"No! I'm not finished," Ozara said stubbornly before shooting more flames at the walls.

"Ozara!" a voice thundered from the doorway. Both girls turned, Irah looking up through watering eyes, to see their father standing there. His expression was cold despite the heat contained in the room. He rose his hand and closed his fist, snuffing out all the flames with just a thought.

Ozara fell to the floor beside her sister, bowing low to their father. "Father, I-"

"You will follow me," he said before walking down the corridor. "Irah, please go to the healers."

Ozara rose from the floor, her head cast down as she walked behind their father. Irah fell onto her stomach. Why was there never a dull moment around Ozara?


	8. Sky

_A/N: Irah and Lu Ten gaze up at the stars. GB!Iroh/Lu Ten bonding._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **sky_

* * *

><p>"Mother, what's that one called?" Lu Ten asked. He pointed his finger up the night sky, tracing an imaginary line through a constellation whose name he had forgotten. It was a cool evening, one Irah was happy she could spend with her son, away from all the military planning and away from Ozara's over-enthusiasm.<p>

Irah chuckled, running a hand through her son's hair as he lay in her lap. She would treasure these moments when he was still a child, still young enough not to mind her coddling and not yet tainted by war and death. "That is Draco, the fierce dragon who hangs in the sky defeated in battle," she answered.

Lu Ten shot up. "Who could defeat a dragon, Mother?" he asked.

Irah said, "Legend says the dragon was terrorizing a village, eating people and livestock and destroying crops. Everyone lived in fear, wondering what could be done when a brave warrior came to defend it."

"He walked up to the dragon unafraid and began to battle. It was intense and fire burnt most of the surrounding forest until the warrior encased the dragon in a ball of fire so large the dragon could not escape before being burnt to a crisp."

"In his victory, the warrior picked up the dragon with all his might and flung him into the air. Now he hangs frozen in the night sky guarding over the Fire Nation for the rest of eternity," Irah ended her little tale. It was a story she had read often as a girl and one she loved to share with others.

"Wow," Lu Ten said, falling back into her lap. "One day, I hope to meet a dragon."

"Dragons are extinct, Lu Ten," Irah said.

Lu Ten smiled up at his mother. "I know there's at least one more out there, somewhere, just for me."


	9. Sun

_A/N: Irah bids the chief of the Sun Warriors goodbye._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **sun_

* * *

><p>Irah bowed her head in respect to the Sun Warrior chief standing before her. She had spent a week living with his people and now it was time for her to return home.<p>

"What will you do now, Princess Irah?" the man asked.

"I will tell everyone that I have slain the last dragon, thus ending this sport once and for all," she said. "My grandfather was only thinking about glory and prestige when made killing a dragon a title of honour, not about the lives of the dragons he put up for slaughter. We owe much to the dragons who thought our ancestors fire-bending, and killing their kin is the worst form of respect we could show."

The chief nodded, a small smile on his features. "This is good news. No longer will our dragons have to live in fear, though. They will be able to roam freely and-"

Irah shook her head. "No, they still must stay here with the Sun Warriors. Though I may think this way, though I am a General of the Fire Nation and a Princess of the royal family, that will not stop individuals from slaughtering a dragon if they should cross paths."

"They can be punished. They can be-" the chief said.

"They can be imprisoned for life or killed mercilessly, their life will never be equal to these dragons'. I will not allow another dragon to be lost to ignorance. The dragons must remain here in secret, to maintain the story I will tell," Irah said.

The chief nodded, seeing the logic in the Fire Princess' words. "As you wish, Princess Irah."

Irah nodded before extending her hand to shake the chief's. "I have enjoyed my stay here and I will miss you and your people tremendously." She walked over to the two dragons which lay behind the chief. They watched her with large yellow eyes, sunlight glinting off their red and blue scales. She rubbed a hand over each of their snouts. "Take care, Ran, Shaw," she said, as they nuzzled her palms.

Then she mounted her eel hound and began her journey.


	10. Rug

_A/N: Ozara walks in on her husband reading their children a bedtime story._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **rug_

* * *

><p>Zuko and Azula lay on their stomachs on the rug of Azula's bedroom at Urkam's feet as he read from one of the large story books from her bookcase.<p>

Urkam reached the final lines of the tale of Draco, the dragon of the night sky. "_Once the dragon was weakened, the brave warrior picked him up and threw him into the air, until he got caught in the sky and_-"

Azula interrupted her father with a question, "Why didn't the warrior just slay the dragon and be done with it?"

"Azula!" Zuko cried out. "That would have just been cruel to the dragon."

"But he throws him up into the heavens and freezes him there, forcing him to watch over us, taunting him with what he can never have," Azula explained. "It would have been a kinder mercy for him to just end his life."

"Father?" Zuko asked, looking towards the man for help, to disprove Azula's morbid theory. Was the warrior actually the villain of the story?

"Azula, that-" Urkam began but was again interrupted by his wife walking into the room, the curve of mouth telling him that she had heard the young girl's words.

"The brave warrior taught the dragon a lesson that day, Azula. For his wrong-doings against the Fire Nation, killing him would have been too easy and generous. Instead, the dragon learns the folly of his ways through suffering. He is haunted daily as he is unable to return to his home as he would like, the place just out of reach," Ozara explained. "Don't you agree, Urkam?" she asked her husband.

Urkam had been looking out the window, his face a mask of indifference but his eyes full of longing that was lost on his children but not his wife. "Yes, dear."

Ozara picked his son off the rug. "You are wise to have discovered the true meaning of the tale instead of the lies others will feed you. Do well to remember this, Azula."

"Yes, Mother," the little girl said as she was placed in her bed.

"To bed, Zuko," Ozara said as she walked out of the room.

Urkam frowned at his wife's retreating back before walking over to his son. He placed a comforting hand on the little boy's shoulder. "I'll tuck you in."


	11. Wood

_A/N: Irah shows Ozara a lesson about relying too much on fire power._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **wood_

* * *

><p>Irah screamed as she ran towards her sister across the courtyard, her hands held firmly around the wooden staff in her hand. This was part of their daily routine: walk up, get dressed, eat breakfast, and then go to training. Under the watchful eyes of their instructor, the two Fire Princesses were on their way to being fierce combatants, learned in various forms and methods of fighting.<p>

Ozara preferred her bending, mastering the different forms and dabbling in lightning generation when she felt she could get away with it without Master Uhura catching her. She thought using any form of weapon showed just how little you believed in yourself and your own abilities.

Irah believed in utilizing all skills, be it swords, knifes, arrows or long staffs. Knowing how to defend yourself with your surroundings was beneficial, especially if your bending were to suddenly fail you.

"But when would that ever happen?" Irah remembered Ozara's jeer. "You'd have to kill me first."

Irah held the long staff before her. She would show Ozara the benefits of weaponry.

"I'll burn that stick to a crisp!" Ozara screamed before punching the air before her and releasing a barrage of fireballs towards her older sister.

Irah spun the staff in a circle, the quick motion prevent the flames from catching the wood while effectively dispersing the heat. She jumped, using the staff to propel her higher and further before she landed behind Ozara. She then swung the staff low, knocking Ozara onto her back before holding the staff below her neck as if it to land the final blow.

"If you can touch it," Irah said, smirking down at her sister before she stepped back and bowed, signalling the end of the fight.

Ozara growled before pushing herself off the ground. "You just got lucky that time," she said.

Irah adopted her defensive stance again, holding the long staff out and prodding her sister in the stomach. "Then let's go again and we'll see how much is luck."


	12. Water

_A/N: Irah exerts her independence._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **water_

* * *

><p>Irah sat in the bath with the water filled to above her breasts. She let out a long breath as her attendant ran the loofah across her naked back, rubbing the scented oils and soaps into her skin. One of the most unnecessary perks of being a Fire Princess was having women bathe you for you were 'a delicate flower who shouldn't lift a finger'.<p>

"Pelau?" Irah said, getting her handmaid's attention.

"Yes, Princess?" Pelau said as she reached for one of Irah's arms hoever, Irah held her hand firmly to her side.

"I would like to bathe myself this evening," Irah said, reaching to take the loofah from the girl.

"No, Princess," Pelau said. "It is my job to take care of-"

"Now, Pelau," Irah said, using the voice she had been trained by her father to use when a servant wasn't doing as she asked, a voice she hated using on those who didn't deserve it.

Pelau wordlessly handed over the loofah and rose to her feet, giving the Princess as low bow before leaving her in the bath alone.

She sank further into the water and ran the loofah over her skin with a small smile on her face, relishing the small amount of independence she had, even for something as simple as bathing herself. It may have been small in retrospect, but it was a start.


	13. Earth

_A/N: Irah shares tea with a fascinating stranger._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****: **earth_

* * *

><p>Irah smiled as took the teapot off the small flame and poured its steaming contents into one cup and then another. It had been awhile since she had had someone to share tea with. Zuko had ran away from her, saying she was holding him back. Irah wished he had stayed but she knew he needed to find out who he truly was. She had been following him, keeping a watchful eye out for him along his journey, and she would be there when he needed her.<p>

But that was a thought for another time. She picked up one cup and held it out to her companion. The small girl sat forward, her grey eyes focused on the sunset she could not see as her elbows rested on her knees as her toes dug into the Earth around her feet. It was such a wonderful coincidence that she find this girl today, well a painful coincidence actually, but she understood the girl's actions. Travelling alone was dangerous and it was better to be safe than sorry.

It was obvious the girl was running from something, her small bag of belongings tucked at her side and her own lack of companions. Irah watched the young girl's body language as she spoke about her woes. She spoke with her back to Irah, not wanting the older woman to see her changing facial expressions. Irah remained gentle and comforting, offering a listening ear. She would not force the girl to say more than she wanted.

But as she listened, Irah couldn't help but compare the girl to her nephew. She was just like Zuko, afraid to let people in. She thought she could do it on her own, and she hated that people immediately counted her out because of her appearance. But it was okay to need someone, it was okay to let people help you. It didn't make you weak, but it made your bonds stronger.

The pair shared a laugh, and Irah's heart warmed upon seeing the small girl smile for the first time, slowly turning her body towards her. This girl was strong, like the Earth she moved. If their paths should never cross again, Irah had no doubt she could handle herself.


	14. (genre) Suspense

_A/N: Irah waits to see the healer._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****:** (genre) Suspense_

* * *

><p>Irah sat outside the healer's office in the small waiting room, the hood of her cloak pulled hiding her hair and face in case someone should look her way. She had to get out of the palace very early this morning to make it to this small clinic on the outskirts of the Capitol. Thankfully, this early, there was no one in the room with her but her, but she could never be too careful.<p>

How could she have let something like this happen? What would her mother think if she found out? She already knew what her father would do and she could easily imagine Ozara's smug face as her older sister would be forced to confess to her shame.

She had gone out with a few other soldiers for a few drinks at one of the town's more popular bars. They did this every now and then and though she was a princess, Irah loved to get to know her comrades on a personal level. Ozara never saw the point and decided to head back to the palace on her own.

Normally, she stuck to her fellow soldiers and drank moderately, knowing exactly how she felt whenever she woke up after overindulging, but that night had been different. Pila had told her to let go and Hun the bartender had put one of his strongest drinks in her hands. Amidst the laughter and the camaraderie, she drank the whole thing.

What followed afterwards she remembered in flashes. She was sitting at a pai gow table, screaming as she won another game. She was singing loudly and off-key, her arms thrown around Pila's shoulders and her face just a bit too close to the young woman's. And the last flash, she was chatting to a stranger with gorgeous black hair and a devil's smile.

The next morning the world crash down on her. She woke up in a strange bed alone, her training uniform on the floor and her body nude beneath the sheets. There was no evidence of the man from the bar, no glimpse of his brown eyes in the bathroom or his soft touches from behind. All she had was a pounding headache and a soreness in her loins. She stole back to the palace a few minutes later while everyone was still asleep.

A few days had passed and the anxiety was eating her up inside. What if something had happened? What if her night of misjudgement had lasting repercussions?

"Miss," the healer said as she opened the door, allowing Irah to step inside. She would find out today if she had disgraced her family.


	15. (genre) HurtComfort

_A/N: Irah pays respect to her son on his birthday. GB!Iroh._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****:** (genre) Hurt/Comfort_

* * *

><p>Irah smiles to the shopkeeper as she pays for her goods early in the morning. Today was a special day and there are few things she needs to have to celebrate.<p>

She always tries to be bright and cheery on this day, expressing a friendly and approachable aura to all around her. She tries to help them, hoping to infect others with her good mood and not wanting to see them sad on this special day.

And so far, she has accomplished that. She brightens a little boy's day through music, her voice soft and light on the afternoon wind. She counsels the children she sees playing the street after they break a shop window, though the angry shopkeeper's words scare them all away. She has tea with a mugger, correcting his attacking stance and offering advice for him to follow his dreams.

But near the end of the day, she stops beneath a large tree on the top of the hill. The day has taken its toll on her and she has just a few ounces of cheer before she feels she's about to collapse.

She unpacks her things, spreading a blanket and lighting incense sticks before the image of her son. Her vision becomes blurred by tears as she begins her song once more.

_Leaves from the vine, falling so slow_

Returning to Ba Sing Se has allowed her the opportunity to celebrate this day the way it should be, but it has also brought back painful memories.

She was once a powerful Fire Nation princess, a general in the army and had command over an entire squad, including her precious son. Unfortunately, during the Siege of Ba Sing Se, he had perished in battle, valiantly people would say but that didn't change that he was gone.

All the senseless fighting and war of her old life had cost her her only son, her light in this world when everything seemed dark. After he had passed, she had forgone the entire siege and retreated into herself. Her nation thought her a coward but she didn't care. They did not suffer like she had.

_Little soldier boy, come marching home._


	16. Ba Sing Se

_A/N: Irah and Lu Ten have a moment before the start of the siege of Ba Sing Se. I was going to stop it right there but then decided to include a part of the battle as well._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****:** Ba Sing Se_

* * *

><p>Irah methodically drew on her braces and chest plates as she readied for battle. She could feel the thrum of anxiety in the air among the soldiers as they all got outfitted for the first attack on the magnificent Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se.<p>

She ran through the plans through her head, the same plan she had gone through with her fellow generals and commanders countless times. Everything would have to go smoothly if they were to get through the outer wall and through the city's defences.

"General," a voice called from the flap of her tent.

Irah turned to see her son stepping inside the tent, his face stoic and his mouth in a thin line.

"All the soldiers are accounted for and the ostrich horses packed. We are ready to move out when you give the signal."

Irah nodded and said, "Thank you, Commander Lu Ten." Then her expression softened. She walked up to him and placed a hand on his cheek, looking up into the eyes of the son who had grown taller before her very eyes.

"Please do be careful on the frontlines, son," Irah said.

"General, I-" Lu Ten began but Irah shook her head.

"I am not saying that as your general, but as your mother. Please stay safe."

Lu Ten nodded and pulled his mother to him. "Yes, Mother. I'll stay safe."

Irah smiled and patted his shoulder. "That's my boy. Now, we have a city to conquer."

* * *

><p>Irah aimed two strong blasts of fire at the Earthbenders around her while narrowly dodging a large boulder thrown at her face. She hoped that her other commanders were doing well keeping these benders at bay while their team was breaking a way through the wall.<p>

She pushed back against another Earthbender, creating two fire whips in her hand, lashing out at him and singeing his arms and legs. He wouldn't be bending for awhile.

"AAAAHHH!" Irah heard. It was a common occurrence on the battlefield but she would recognize that scream anywhere. All the cuts, bruises and falls she had heard throughout his youth.

"Lu Ten!" she cried, her eyes searching the faces and fallen bodies around her.

Then she saw him, his torso sticking out from beneath a large boulder, an Earthbender poised over him to deliver the final blow.

Irah took a deep breath and blew fire from within, engulfing the Earhtbender in flames. He ran away in pain and terror as his skin began to melt from the heat.

Irah rushed forward and pushed the boulder off her son with all her might.

"Mother," Lu Ten said, before coughing up some blood. His clothes beneath his armour was stained with blood and his legs were crushed.

"Lu Ten," Irah cried, placing her head on his chest. "Hang on, dear."

She felt a hand on his cheek. "No, mother. You need to get out of here."

"Lu Ten! Medics! Someone, anyone!" Irah began crying. She clutched her son's hand desperately. "Just stay awake, Lu Ten. Someone will be here soon."

"Mother, I love you," Lu Ten said, before coughing one more time and then falling still.

With tears in her eyes, Irah gave the order to retreat. She cared not about their progress on the inner wall or the number of Earthbenders which remained in their path. Even if they had the Earth King at their mercy, all Irah wanted to do was take her son away from the battlefield, even if it had been too late.


	17. (genre) Adventure

_A/N: Irah and Ozara go on their first mission together. Genderbent!AU._

_Submission for:_

_**Gender-Swap Boot Camp****:** (genre) Adventure_

* * *

><p>It had been a simple mission, their first since they had both been fully integrated into the Fire Nation Army. They had been instructed to take over small Earth Kingdom village and things were going fine actually. The two sisters, though usually at each other's throats, were an efficient team and they easily carried out the first part of the mission to get into the mayor's home without the villagers' knowledge.<p>

However, Ozara was never one for rules or patience when she saw a quicker path. She acted without thinking and killed the mayor, torching the small room that served as his office. His cry had alerted his wife and two grown sons who quickly rallied the whole town against the two intruding Fire Nation soldiers.

Now they had to get out of there quickly. The two women jumped out of the window they came in and made a run back to their war balloon.

"Ozara, you only had to wait a few more minutes before the reinforcements came to take the town quietly," Irah admonished as she jumped into the war balloon and immediately started the fire to get it to rise off the ground.

"Come, Ozara, help me get us going faster," Irah shouted as she threw a sandbag over the edge of the basket. When there was no sound behind her, she turned to find the basket empty. "Ozara," Irah cried as she back.

Ozara was locked in a fight with one of the town's only Earthbenders. Beyond, the others were nearing, brandishing swords, axes and spears. Irah considered going back to help her sister but that would possibly doom both of them, especially if the towns people damaged the balloon.

"Run!" Irah cried as she severed the rope that anchored the balloon to the ground.

The balloon began to rise, drifting with the wind and Irah directed it towards the cliff near the village. Once she was over open air, the towns people would be unable to reach her, but that also included Ozara.

Ozara seemed to realize this as well. She aimed a large wall of fire at her opponent before taking off towards the rising balloon. Just as the balloon cleared the cliff, she jumped, propelling herself with her firebending to grab onto the rope dangling from the basket.

Irah let out a breath, thankful that Ozara had held on. She reached over the edge of the basket to help her sister up but Ozara scowled.

"Take it!" Irah insisted, but Ozara batted her hand away and began pulling herself up.

The townspeople stood on the edge of the cliff, their shouts growing quieter as the balloon moved away. A few arrows and rocks were being fired but their aim was off, the projectiles missing the balloon easily.

However, one wayward arrow passed close to the dangling rope, cutting a few of the bonds. It began to fray as the weight of the young woman became too much to bear for the still intact threads. Soon, Irah knew it would break.

"For Agni's sake, Ozara! For once in your life, listen to me! Trust that I'm not out to get you!" Irah cried. "Grab my hand!"

Ozara seemed to be thinking before she threw her other hand up, just as the rope snapped. She cried out in fright, closing her eyes tightly before realizing she wasn't falling but still dangling under the basket.

She opened her eyes and saw Irah's hand grabbing her forearm. "Don't worry, I got you," Irah said before pulling her sister into the basket.


End file.
